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: I also liked some of the comments on the article somehow blaming Rossi for Hayden being slow... There is absolutely NO WAY that having a 9-time world champion rider work on your bike for two years has made it slower or worse. Jesus.

While I DO have a certain uneasiness with the fact that some WSBK times are being better than those of prototype MotoGP machines, both championships run by different rules; they are different worlds.

There are several factors, for example, which track, the tyres and usable power, and of course, engine durability. I've read that Aprilia using a million engines is half myth, in that a "new engine" is not a new engine per se, but more like a rebuilt one. However, judging by Ramon Forcada's words on the article I posted a few days ago here, in MotoGP a new engine is pretty much exactly that: a new engine, so those bits that could be stretched very far and unreliably in WSBK to gain extra performance, need to be very durable in MotoGP.

While I DO have a certain uneasiness with the fact that some WSBK times are being better than those of prototype MotoGP machines, both championships run by different rules; they are different worlds.

There are several factors, for example, which track, the tyres and usable power, and of course, engine durability. I've read that Aprilia using a million engines is half myth, in that a "new engine" is not a new engine per se, but more like a rebuilt one. However, judging by Ramon Forcada's words on the article I posted a few days ago here, in MotoGP a new engine is pretty much exactly that: a new engine, so those bits that could be stretched very far and unreliably in WSBK to gain extra performance, need to be very durable in MotoGP.

Ultimately, I'm not one to be mocking riders.

True... And there are also factors like the fuel allotments, weight restrictions, etc. etc. etc.

Has Spies made any statements yet? Or do we have to wait until Jan 1st to find out WTF was going on?

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I'd assume he's under contract until the end of the year, and will refrain from saying much of anything until then. Given some of the thinly veiled stuff he's said so far, it might be very interesting if he speaks freely about this past year.